32. Ash's Reborn Story

Chapter 176 Nightmare Begins Part 3

Ash, Charlotte, and Aria are now at the Water Treatment Center since they can't find anybody, so they quickly rush there and finds another Portal.

Charlotte: Is that a New World Portal? Here in the Water Treatment Center?

Ash: Let's check it out.

After they get inside the Portal, they find themselves back at Beryl Ward Bridge.

Aria: What the hell is going on?

Ash notices a man standing in front of them, and the man has Umbral Energy with him. That is Heather's Father, Corey.

Corey: The view of the desert is just wonderful, don't you think?

Ash: (Shocked) How? I thought you were dead!

Corey: It's been a while, Ash. Is Heather well? Are you well? Ah, but this must be very confusing for you. Come, enjoy the view with me; I'll explain what's going on.

Aria: Ash, you know this guy?

Ash: This is Corey, Heather's birth father, but he committed suicide...

Charlotte: So that guy is Heather's father, huh?

Corey: I died. But Shade ensured a small part of me still remained. Not enough to be meaningful, of course, but... Well, many things that meant nothing began to mean a lot with the creation of the New World. And here I am. I've been watching you explore the New World, you know. Helping Pokémon, and even helping people. I keep just missing you, though. I've been trying to track you down, so after all this time... After all this time, I can finally... Apologize.

Ash doesn't know what to say, Corey is trying to apologize to him. Even though he is glad, but the Umbral Energy is making this weird.

Corey: I said some hurtful things to you in my darkest hour. Know that you aren't responsible for my actions and choices. I needed to say that.

Ash: You don't need to worry about that, I forgive you...

Corey: So, I hear you met my wife? Elena, the Skyspectre. She was my world, and the day I lost her, my world ended. But... losing one's own life brings a sense of clarity. Even if all I have are memories of her, I'm still the luckiest man to have ever lived. She was just unstoppable. Whether it was battling, or just her day-to-day life, she could do anything she wanted. She's the reason I love this view. She had a rather macabre sense of humor, you see. We'd often come out here for dates. At the mildest inconvenience, she'd jump off the bridge, only to fly back up on her Salamence moments later. If there were any particularly concerned onlookers, she'd even send up a Ghost Type first just to freak them out. I'm pretty sure that's the entire reason she chose Ghost as her second type. She really was just... perfect.

All three of them are hearing Corey's dialogue, and they don't know how to respond.

Aria: I guess he really loves his wife...but what happened to her?

Ash: Died, for the same reason as Charlotte's parents.

Charlotte: Seriously, I was trying to forget everything and you just have to remind me again. At least it was not my fault that our parents were killed.

Corey: I could talk forever about how wonderful she was. About how much I miss her. But I'll have plenty of time to reminisce later. Elena was so... unfailingly hopeful for the future. And I think I finally see it. Reborn is healing. The people of Reborn are healing. And the region has the finest Champion it ever has. I can't help but wonder, though... She was always so certain that I would be the next Champion. Perhaps I would have been! I was quite talented, you know. At least, I was before she... Well, before I gave up trying. But I've had time to try again while wandering the New World. Not very long, of course, but... Elena always compared me to those child Champions of other regions. The ones who get their first Pokémon and are Champion a week later. With how quickly I picked up battling, she was convinced I could've been that for Reborn if I started a decade or two earlier. But better late than never, right? The future of Reborn is bright with you at the helm, Ash. But she believed in me so much... It would be a disservice to her to not believe in myself at least as much. I think we are long overdue for a fight. A fair fight. One where I'm not filled with despair. Or rage. Or murderous intent. One where I try... Where I remember the love for battle I had forgotten. So bring it on, Champion Ash. Let's see if you would've been able to take the title from me if I had've gotten it first!